Feeder rod drive for shuttleless web loom



W. LIEBCHEN Aug. 16, 1966 FEEDER ROD DRIVE FOR SHUTTLELESS WEB LOOM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1964 Jnven/ar: waLl nm Lai w. LIEBCHEN3,266,528

Aug. 16, 1966 FEEDER ROD DRIVE FOR SHUTTLELESS WEB LOOM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed July 2. 1964 .70 van for wnL um 41 A I eat/ av United StatesPatent 14 Claims. cl. 139-122 The invention relates to a shuttlelessloom, in which the weft threads are introduced into the warp shed by areciprocating feeder rod which moves in synchronism with the sley and isdriven by a cam disc.

It has been known to introduce weft threads in shuttleless web looms bymeans of feeders which are fastened on feeder rods oscillating insynchronism with the sley.

' Heretofore it was usual to drive the feeder rods by means of camdiscs. The disadvantage of this is that the move- \ment of the feederrods is connected with the movement positions of the discs, so that avery large working angle is necessary for the sley which is driventhrough a crank in order for the feeder rod to be able to move back andforth into the web shed unhindered. The resultof this 'is that the speedof operation of the loom is limited.

It has also been proposed to drive the feeder rods by "cam discs onwhich spring-loaded roller levers run, the

movement obtained from which is transmitted to the feeder rod.

In this way the movement of the feeder rod can be better accommodated tothe cam-controlled swinging -movement of the sley, but the dynamicrequirements allow no substantial increase of the loom speed without'the danger that lifting of the roller lever off the cam 'disc mayresult in uncontrolled movement of the feeder rod.

According to the invention these disadvantages, in a shuttleless loom ofa known kind, are eliminated by causing the movement of the feeder rodto follow positively the outline of the cam disc and by providingdamping means by which the movement of the rod in its end positions canbe braked. Thus a substantial increase in loom speed is possible,because the continuous engagement on the cam disc in each case preventsuncontrolled movements of the feeder rod, and the damping meanssubstantially reduce the load on the cam disc and thereby insure quietoperation of the machine.

An especially advantageous modification of the machine provides a webloom in which the motion of the feeder rod is produced by an armconnected to the free rear end of the feeder rod and swingable generallyparallel to the plane of the reed. The swinging axis of the arm ispositioned below the rock shaft on an extension thereof and is swungtogether with the sley. The reciprocating movement produced by the camdisc is exerted on the arm at a point parallel with the axis of the rockshaft. The driving force received from the cam disc thus operates at thetrue center of swinging of the arm and there is a transfer of force tothe arm from the force transmitting mechanism which is journalled on themachine, in the direction of the rock shaft without producing transverseforces.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will *appear more fullyfrom the following description particularly, when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one end of a shuttleless loom showingthe drive for a feeder rod according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a drive for a pair of feederrods.

The parts in FIG. 2 which do not bear reference characters are the sameas shown in FIG. 1.

In the machine frame, the rock shaft 12 is journalled in bearings suchas 11. Rock shaft 12 has secured thereon swords 13, only the right handsword being shown, which carry sley 14 on which reed 15 is fastened. Anelectric motor 16 stationarily mounted on the frame drives, throughpinion 17 and the intermediate gearing 18, 19, the drive pinion 21 of acrank shaft 23 which is journalled in bearing 22 on the frame. The crankpin 24 is drivingly connected, by the connecting rod 25, to sley 14.

At the end of the sley 14, a rod 27 is transversely rnovable in a guide26 to lay in the weft thread through the shed 31, which in theconventional way carries a receiving gripper 29 at its inner end. In asimilar manner there is, at the other end of the sley, a rod with afeeding gripper which carries the weft threads, in the form of loops, upto the middle of the shed 31 formed by the warp threads, where the weftthreads are taken over by the receiving gripper and drawn completelythrough the shed.

Because the arrangement of the gripper rods and their driving means iscongruent, the disclosure is limited to the arrangement at one end ofthe sley.

At the end 32 of the rock shaft 12 which extends beyond the arm 13,there is fastened a hub 33, on which mounts on its lower side asupporting arm 34 which slants outwardly from the axis of the shaft 12.On the forked end of the arm 34, by means of a bolt 35, a hub 36 isturnably mounted, which carries an outwardly directed arm member 37. Theupper end of the arm member 37 is connected by a movable link 38 withthe outer end of the gripper rod 27.

From the gear 19 of the gear set 18, 19 a gear 38 is driven which mesheswith driving gear 39 secured to cam shaft 42 mounted by bearing 41 inthe machine frame. The pinions 19, 21 and 39 are so selected that theshafts 23 and 42 turn at the same speed.

On each end of the cam shaft 42 is a cam arrangement 43, which includesa plane plate part 44, reinforced in the center by a hub and carrying onits periphery a flange 45 having a selected control curvature. Such camde vices are well known. The cam shaft 42 extends beyond the plate 44and carries, at a distance from the hub shaped reinforcement, a securingring 46, which with the hub shaped reinforcement of the plate 44constitutes a guide for the slide rod 48 which by means of alongitudinal slot 47 is transversely displaceable with respect to thecam shaft. A further guide is formed by the groove 49 in the hub 33, inwhich the forked lower ends of the slide rod 48 are guided. Between theslot 47 and the forked ends 51 the slide rod 48 carries two spaced guiderolls '52, 53. Roll 52 lies against the inside surfaces and roll 53against the outside surface of the flange 45 of the cam disc 44 with aslittle play as possible. This constitutes a positive drive camarrangement. The forked lower ends 51 of the slide rod 48 are connectedby a coupling 54 formed of two parallel links, directed generallyperpendicular to the shaft axis, with one arm, directed generallyperpendicular to the links, of a bell-crank lever 56 journalled at 55 onthe frame of the machine.

The other outwardly directed arm of the bell-crank lever 56 carries abolt 57 which extends from both ends of the spaced arms of the lever andcarries between them a spacing sleeve 58. On the outwarly extending endof the bolt 57 engage the eyes of two connecting rods 59. The eyes atthe other ends of rods 59 embrace an axle 61, which at 62, at a pointsubstantially coincident with arm 37 substantially in the axial plane ofthe rod 61 while transmitting to it back and forth motion imparted bythe rods 59.

The arrangement so described operates as follows:

The electric motor through the gears 17, 18, 19, 21 drives the crankshaft 23. The turning of the crank shaft 23 is converted by the crankpin 24 and the connecting link 25 into the oscillating swinging movementof the sley 14 about the axis of the crankshaft 12. The reed 15 and thegripper rod 27 will swing with the sley 14. Because the sword 13 isfixed on the crankshaft 12, carrier arm 34 also undergoes a swingingmovement in the opposite direction. Because of this, arm 37 rocks withthe crankshaft with its true rocking axis lying parallel with the axisof the rock shaft, which is where the axle 61 is fastened to the arm 37by the bearing 62.

Through the gears 38 and 39 the cam shaft 42 is driven with the crankshaft 23 and turns the cam 43.

The flange 45 with its varying distances from the cam shaft 42 runsbetween the guide rollers 52, 53 and moves the slide 48 which is guidedon the shaft 42 and the hub 33 up and down. This movement is transmittedby the links 54 and bell-crank lever 56 and from these in a generallyhorizontal direction by the connecting rods 59 to the axis 61 and thusto the arm 37, which transmits its swinging movement through the link 38to the gripper rod 27 and moves this back and forth into and out of theshed.

The arm 37 then undergoes a compulsory swinging movement in two planes,one of which is about bolt 35 and the other the rock shaft 12. Becausethe two are not coincident but cross each other with a substantialdistance therebetween, and the drive for the swinging movement aboutaxis 35 is transmitted through connecting rods by bearing 62 which is inthe projection of the rock shaft 12, any one-sided exertion of force inthe two swinging movements is excluded, and especially transverse forcesproduced by the transmission of power will be avoided.

The arms of lever 56 are spaced far enough apart to allow the rockingmovement of extension 34 between them.

A transverse rod 63 extends through the hub 33 of the carrying arm 34 ina direction parallel to the axle 61. Between the ends of the cross rod63 and the ends of the axle 61, air cushions composed of cylinders 64are tion in this part of the piston stroke.

The air cushions absorb some of the kinetic energy of the gripper rodand arm 37 by braking the movement in the end positions, so that thedisadvantages of the ordinary drive arrangement are avoided, makingpossible a susbtantial increase in the work load.

The arrangement according to FIG. 2 is a warp machine for themanufacture of a pile warp fabric and corresponds except for what isdescribed below to the arrangement in FIG. 1. Because in the manufactureof some types of fabrics two ways each having sheds 31a, 31b lying oneabove the other are desirable, into each of which weft threads must bebrought at the same time, there are mounted on the same side of the sleytwo gripper rods 27a, 27b. For driving these gripper rods there is acommon arm 37 at each side of the web sley, to which the gripper rodsare connected by separate connecting links 38, 38a.

While I have described herein some embodiments of my invention, I wishit to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself except withinthe scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim:

1. In a loom, a thread gripper, means mounting said gripper forreciprocatory movement back and forth into and out of a shed formed bythe loom, means to impart such movement to the thread gripper comprisinga positive drive cam arrangement and means connecting the camarrangement to the thread gripper, and means connected to the movementimparting means to damp the movements thereof in the end portions of itsreciprocatory movement, said loom having a reed, a rock shaft, means tooscillate the rock shaft and reed, means mounting the reed on the rockshaft with the plane of the reed parallel with the axis of the rockshaft, said carrier mounting means being mounted for movement with thereed, said connecting means including a member and means mounting themember on the rock shaft to oscillate therewith, and to rock withrespect thereto in a plane substantially coincident with the plane ofthe reed, and said connecting means further including motiontransmitting means connected to the cam arrangement and connected to themember at a point substantially located in a prolongation of the axis ofthe rock shaft.

2. In 'a loom as claimed in claim 1, said mounting means mounting saidmember on said rock shaft to turn about an axis transverse to the axisof the rock shaft and spaced a substantial distance therefrom on theside of the rock shaft axis opposite from the reed.

3. In a loom as claimed in claim 1, said damping means being locatedoutside the end of the rock shaft and means connecting the damping meansto the member at substantially the same point as the motion transmittingmeans.

4. In a loom, a thread gripper, means mounting said gripper forreciprocatory movement back and forth into and out of a shed formed bythe loom, means to impart such movement to the thread gripper comprisinga positive drive carn arrangement and means connecting the camarrangement to the thread gripper, and means connected to the movementimparting means to damp the movements thereof in the end portions of itsreciprocatory movement, said loom having a rock shaft, a camdisc shaftparallel to the rock shaft said positive drive c am arrangementincluding a cam-disc member carried by said cam-disc shaft and areciprocable slide member having means positively engaging the cam-discmember to be moved by rotation thereof.

5. In a loom as claimed in claim 4, said cam-disc member comprising adisc mounted on the cam-disc shaft having an axially directed continuousflange portions of which are located at different distances from theshaft axis, said slide having rollers thereon engaging the inner andouter sides of said flange.

6. In a loom, a pair of thread grippers, means mounting said grippersfor reciprocatory movement back and forth into and out of a shed formedby the loom, means to impart such movement to the thread gripperscomprising a positive drive cam arrangement and means connecting the camarrangement to the thread gripper, and means connected to the movementimparting means to damp the movements thereof in the end portions of itsmovement, said connecting means including a member and means mounting toswing in a plane parallel to the direction of movement of the grippers,and separate links connecting said member to each of said threadgrippers.

7. In a loom, a thread gripper, means mounting said gripper forreciprocatory movement back and forth into and out of a shed formed bythe loom, means to impart such movement to the thread gripper comprisinga positive drive cam arrangement and meansconnecting the cam arrangementto the thread gripper, and means connected to the movement impartingmeans to'damp the movements thereof in the end portions of its reciprocatory movement, said loom having a rock shaft, said connecting meansincluding a member and means mounting the member on the rock shaft tooscillate therewith, and to rock with respect thereto in a planesubstantially coincident with the axis of the rock shaft, and meansconnecting said damping means to said member at a point substantiallylocated in the prolongation of the axis 0 the rock shaft.

8. In a loom, a thread gripper, means mounting said carrier forreciprocatory movement back and forth into and out of a shed formed bythe loom, means to impart such movement to the thread gripper comprisinga positive drive oam arrangement and means connecting the camarrangement to the thread gripper, and means connected to the movementimparting means to damp the movement thereof in the end portions of itsreciprocatory movement, said loom having a rock shaft, said connectingmeans including a member and means mounting the member on the rock shaftto oscillate therewith, and to rock with respect thereto in a planesubstantially coincident with the plane of the reed, and said connectingmeans further including motion transmitting means connected to the camarrangement and connected to the member at a point substantially locatedin a prolongation of the axis of the rock shaft.

9. In a loom as claimed in claim 8, means connecting said damping meansto said member at a point substantially located in the prolongation ofthe axis of the rock shaft.

10. In a loom, a thread gripper, means mounting said gripper forreciprocatory movement back and forth into and out of a shed formed bythe loom, means to impart such movement to the thread gripper, said loomhaving a reed and a rock shaft, means to oscillate the rock shaft andreed, means mounting the reed on the rock shaft with its plane parallelwith the axis of the rock shaft, said carrier mounting means beingmounted for movement with the reed, said movement imparting meansincluding a member mounted on the rock shaft to oscillate therewith, andto rock with respect thereto in a plane substantially coincident withthe plane of the reed, said movement imparting means further includingmotion transmitting means connected to the member at a pointsubstantially located in a prolongation of the axis of the rock shaft.

11. In a loom as claimed in claim 10, said mounting means mounting saidmember on said rock shaft to turn about an axis transverse to the axisof the rock shaft and spaced a substantial distance therefrom on theside of the rock shaft opposite from the reed.

12. In a loom as claimed in claim 10, said movement imparting meansincluding a cam-disc shaft parallel to the rock shaft, a cam-disc membercarried by said camdisc shaft and a reciprocable slide member havingmeans positively engaging the cam disc member to be moved by rotationthereof.

13. In a loom as claimed in claim 12, said cam-disc member comprising adisc mounted on the cam-disc shaft having an axially directed continuousflange portions of which are located at different distances from theshaft axis, said slide having rollers thereon engaging the inner andouter sides of said flange.

14. In a loom, a thread gripper, means mounting said gripper forreciprocatory movement back and forth into and out of a shed formed bythe loom, means to impart such movement to the thread gripper comprisinga positive drive cam arrangement, said loom having a rock shaft, saidpositive drive cam arrangement including a cam-disc shaft parallel tothe rock shaft, a cam-disc member carried by said cam-disc shaft and areciprocable slide member having means positively engaging the cam-discmember to be moved by rotation thereof, said cam-disc member comprisinga disc mounted on the cam-disc shaft having an axially directedcontinuous flange portions of which are located at different distancesfrom the shaft axis, said slide having rollers thereon engaging theinner and outer sides of said flange, and means connecting said slide tosaid gripper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,762,377 6/1930Ashton 139-122 1,957,024 5/1934 Klemm 139-123 2,621,680 12/ 1952 Vincentet al 139147 2,943,646 7/ 1960 Thatcher 139-151 OTHER REFERENCES TuppackGerman application No. 1,050,280, February 1959.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner. H. S.IAUDON, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A LOOM, A THREAD GRIPPER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID GRIPPER FORRECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT BACK AND FORTH INTO AND OUT OF A SHED FORMED BYTHE LOOM, MEANS TO IMPART SUCH MOVEMENT TO THE THREAD GRIPPER COMPRISINGA POSITIVE DRIVE CAM ARRANGEMENT AND MEANS CONNECTING THE CAMARRANGEMENT TO THE THREAD GRIPPER, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO THE MOVEMENTIMPARTING MEANS TO DAMP THE MOVEMENTS THEREOF IN THE END PORTIONS OF ITSRECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT, SAID LOOM HAVING A REED, A ROCK SHAFT, MEANS TOOSCILLATE THE ROCK SHAFT AND REED, MEANS MOUNTING THE REED ON THE ROCKSHAFT WITH THE PLANE OF THE REED PARALLEL WITH THE AXIS OF THE ROCKSHAFT, SAID CARRIER MOUNT-